


Welcome to Sunnyside

by hermione_vader



Series: Plastic Armor [4]
Category: DCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012), Toy Story Series (Movies), X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Angst and Humor, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-24
Updated: 2013-01-24
Packaged: 2017-11-26 16:44:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/652334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermione_vader/pseuds/hermione_vader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avengers/Toy Story fusion AU.  Phil is all grown up now, and Loki is sure that Sunnyside Day Care will be the perfect home for the toys.  Steve isn't so sure.  But those Justice League fellows that run the place seem quite agreeable.  Part 4 of the Plastic Armor series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcome to Sunnyside

Loki did not care what Steve said.  Daycare would be good for everyone.  No, it wouldn't be the same as having one owner, but surely some child would want to play Sorcerers and Warriors instead of Cowboys and Indians or Soldiers and Nazis or Spacemen and Aliens.  Someone _had_ to want to.  He grabbed Thor's arm as the box tilted and rose beneath their feet.  
  
"We will be fine, brother.  Do not listen to one word Steve says," Loki whispered, squeezing his brother's hand.  
  
"Have you ever actually _been_ to daycare, Loki?" Steve asked.  
  
"Have _you_?" Tony snapped.  Steve said nothing.  
  
"This is not like Destiny.  This is not like Destiny," Mystique repeated to herself, the words marking time to the box's jostling.  "Things will be better this time.  Things will be better this time..."  She kept her eyes shut.  Loki grabbed her hand, too.  
  
"Mystique, you needn't worry about abandonment this time.  We're role players, not favorites: we can adapt to anything these children come up with.  You of all toys should be able to understa---"  
  
The box lurched downward and teetered on the brink of something, perhaps a table.  Everyone pushed forward until Loki was smashed up against the box's flaps with the top of Clint's bow jamming into his lower back.  He clutched Thor's and Mystique's hands as Hulk, Tony, Natasha, Hamm, and everyone else pushed forward and burst the flaps open, sending everyone to the floor.  Loki hurtled ground with Thor, Mystique (now in her blonde form), and Natasha landing on top of him.  He just began to pull himself out of the pile when Hulk splatted on top of all of them.  
  
"HULK LIKE NEW HOME.  IT HAVE SOFT LANDINGS."  
  
"For _you_ , perhaps," Loki hissed as he struggled under Hulk's shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Loki-buddy?  You okay?" Hamm asked.  Loki saw that he was pinned underneath Hulk's gut.  
  
"Never better, old friend," Loki answered as he pushed his way out.  
  
Once they all squirmed out from underneath the mountain of lime green plush, Loki stood up and saw that they had attracted a welcoming party.  More toys than he'd ever seen in his life (and Phil had had quite a few) lined the cubby-holes and shelves: plush bears, lions, dolphins, wolves, echidnas, and lemurs; action figures of all shapes and sizes; toys from all different eras, from wooden to metal to plastic to rubber; educational toys and mindless ones that children chewed on while they watched cartoons.  Yet there were no Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, or Loki figures.  Not even one Howling Commando.  Loki decided this could only help their chances.  
  
The daycare toys peered at them for a few moments.  Finally, a small plush bunny shouted, "YAY!  NEW TOYS!"

Suddenly, Loki was thrust in to the giant toy-sea, pushing back waves of handshakes and hugs and pats on the back he never asked for.  He saw Thor handling it much better, laughing and accepting the displays of affection.  He'd always had a temperment better suited to these situations than the battlefield.  These sorts of things may have made Loki's stomach churn, but at least his brother was really smiling again.  
  
In fact, all of the others, except Steve, looked happier than Loki had seen them in years.  He had to admit that usefulness was an uplifting prospect.  That thought kept him moving through the immense gauntlet of invasive welcomers.  
  
After about half of the daycare toys had shaken Loki's hand, a giant black tank-car parted the crowd.  It rumbled right up to Thor, and Loki ran over to help his brother, but the car-tank stopped right at Thor's feet.  Loki took a deep breath as several caped figures stepped out.  
  
The first one wore blue and red with a hint of yellow.  Everything about him was conventionally handsome, from his thick black hair to his chiseled face and sparkling blue eyes.  He towered over everyone (except Loki and Thor).    
  
"Hi, there!  I'm Superman, but you can call me Clark!" the blue-and-red man said.  "How's it going, ladies?"  Natasha and Peggy giggled, but Mystique just put her hands on her hips.  
  
A man dressed up as a suped-up Robin Hood jumped out after Superman.  "Hey, another archer!  Finally!"  
  
"Great to meet you, man!  I'm Hawkeye."  Clint clapped the other archer's hand and gave him one of those "man-hugs" that Loki had seen but never received.  
  
A blond man in orange and green got out next.  He and Thor immediately embraced.  
  
"Aquaman here is Prince of Atlantis, Loki!" Thor exclaimed.  
  
"That's wonderful brother," Loki said, shrugging.  Then he heard a female voice call out from the back of the car-tank.  
  
"Why do you guys always shove me in back?" she asked.  None of her colleagues listened.  Loki watched as she got out: one lithe leg, then another, thick black hair held back by a tiara, a nearly perfect face (to Loki's mind).  He'd seen her commercials and admired them, though he'd never mentioned that to the others.  And here she was.  Right now.    
  
Part of him wanted to stand there with his knees locked, but something pushed him forward.  Loki walked over towards her, and he heard himself say, "It is my very highest honor to meet you, Wonder Woman."    
  
She turned to him and shook his hand.  "It's nice to meet you, too, Loki.  You _are_ a Loki doll, correct?"  
  
Loki laughed.  "I prefer the term 'action figure,' Wonder Woman."  
  
"So do I.  And you can call me Diana."  
  
"I can?"  He kissed her hand.  "Thank you for that privilege, Diana."  
  
She tilted her head down and smiled at him.  They could not say more because Superman interrupted them.    
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, now that we're all acquainted," Superman began, "I'd like to introduce our fearless leader: the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader...Batman!"  
  
Batman looked like his name suggested, with his black cape billowing out behind him.  He smiled grimly, but it was a politician's smile.

"Welcome.  We're glad to have you," he told them.  Loki had expected a much more long-winded speech.  
  
"Love the ears, big guy," Hamm said with a wink.  
  
"It's fantastic to be here, Batman," Loki insisted.  "I am Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard, and this is my best friend, Hamm.  My brother, Thor, is over by your Aquaman, and the others will introduce themselves as we go along, I'm sure.  I'm afraid we're here because own previous owner has grown up and donated us."  
  
"That's how it always happens," Batman rumbled.  His voice really was quite low and raspy, almost irritating to listen to.  "You don't have to worry about that here.  At Sunnyside, there are no owners and there are always kids to play with."  He motioned toward a series of pictures of various daycare classes.  
  
"Ah, socialism at its purest," Hamm remarked.  
  
"We're not a political bunch," Batman rasped, glancing sideways at Hamm.  
  
"Neither are we.  We---some of us---are called the Avengers," Loki explained.  
  
"And we're the Justice League.  We make sure everyone stays in line," Superman said, puffing his chest out.    
  
"Would you guys like a tour?" Diana suggested.   
  
"Absolutely."  Loki linked his arm with hers, and the Justice League showed them all the facilities, including a spa, of all things.  He'd never make use of it, but Clint and Natasha's eyes grew wide when they passed it.  It all looked utopian enough, but Loki could not shake the feeling that things were a little too neat, especially when paired with Batman's grim but firm demeanor.  Even under Steve's amiable leadership, Phil's room had always had a little bit of chaos.  Too much order made everything a little less _real_ to Loki, but perhaps he was just being paranoid.  He just held on to Diana's arm and said nothing.  
  
The Captain, on the other hand, could not stay quiet.  "This is a great place you've got here, Batman.  Even I couldn't run Phil's room this well.  But we've still got a kid who needs us, so I think we'll be going."  
  
Batman turned around.  His caped smacked Thor in the face and swept over Hamm's head.  "I thought the wizard said the kid had grown up."  
  
"Sorcerer," Loki corrected.  "Wizards are flightly little boys with scars on their foreheads."  
  
"NONE OF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND!" a Harry Potter doll screamed from one of the higher shelves.  "JUST SHUT UP!  ALL OF YOU!"  He stormed off, trying to stifle his own sobs.  
  
"Well, I really didn't---"  
  
Diana patted his arm.  "Don't mind Harry.  He's a bit oversensitive."  
  
Steve started speaking again.  "Loki's right---Phil's going off to college and he picked me to go with him.  My friends here were supposed to go up to the attic.  We only ended up here by accident."

"Most toys tell themselves they're here by accident at first," Batman told him.  "They can't stand the thought of life without an owner, one kid to serve and love.  Eventually, they realize no owners means infinite chances of being loved and no chance of being thrown out.  It's a different kind of happiness."  Batman gripped Steve's shoulder.  "You're free to go, Captain.  Your friends will be safe here."  
  
Steve shook his head and pushed Batman's arm away.  "No, I can't go alone.  Thor, let's go."  
  
Thor held his hands up.  "No, Captain, I cannot abandon my brother."  
  
"Loki, can't you---"  
  
Loki had his answer ready.  "No, I can't.  Phil never cared for me like he did you.  He won't notice I'm gone."  
  
"Well, maybe Hamm---"  
  
Hamm shrugged.  "Sorry, Cap.  If Loki's staying, so am I.  Evil Dr. Porkchop and Loki Liesmith have to stay together, you know."  
  
"Clint?  Natasha?  Peggy?"  
  
They all declined.  
  
"Hulk?"  
  
"TIME FOR HULK TO MEET OTHER CHILDREN."  
  
The Captain's face was colored with disbelief.  "Tony.  Tony, you _have_ to.  Phil could probably make room for us.  Captain America and the Invincible Iron Man---"  
  
"Had their day in the sun.  We've had some great times, Steve.  You've been a better friend than I probably deserve.  But Phil chose you.  Now I gotta hope someone else is crazy enough to choose me."  Tony hugged the Captain and Loki thought they might never let go.  He also saw Superman glance at Batman as if to say, 'Why don't _we_ ever do that?'  
  
"Well, then, I guess I'll go."  The Captain stepped back towards the door.  He never looked more defeated.  "I'll miss you guys."  
  
The Commandos saluted him.  "It's been an honor to serve under you, Captain."  
  
"Thanks."  Then the Captain jumped up, swung the door handle open, and left.  
  
"Goodbye..." Peggy murmured, reaching out into empty space.  
  
Loki turned back to Batman.  "So what's next?"  
  
"You'll be staying in the Caterpillar Room for the time being," Batman said, motioning for everyone to follow him.  They did.  "Alright, recess ends in a few minutes.  You should be fine.  We'll be back to check on you later."  
  
"Sounds like a good deal," Tony said.  
  
The Justice League shook their hands again and said their goodbyes.  
  
"'Til we meet again, ladies."  Superman winked at Natasha and Peggy and they giggled again.  
  
"See you later, Hawkeye."  Green Arrow and Clint fist-bumped.  
  
A red-clad figure called the Flash slapped Tony on the back.  
  
"Goodnight, sweet prince," Aquaman told Thor.  
  
"All the same to you," Thor answered, grinning.  
  
"I hope I'll see you around, Loki," Diana said, kissing him on the cheek.  
  
"You most definitely will."  If he could blush, Loki's cheeks would have been bright red.  
  
Then the Justice League filed back into their car-tank---"The Batmobile", they'd called it---and zoomed back to the Butterfly Room.  Most of them could be decent allies, Loki supposed.  He wasn't sure about Batman, though his friends seemed to admire him.  Diana and Aquaman could vouch for them, at the very least.  
  
Loki heard the children's pattering growing closer to the door.  Their silhouettes loomed in front in the frosted windows.  Their happy shrieks grew louder and louder.  Yet no other toys were out on the floor.  Loki glimpsed a bunch of them, including the Harry Potter doll, huddling together on a shelf behind some Tupperware boxes.  
  
"We're finally gonna get played with!" Clint exclaimed.  He grabbed Natasha's hand and they stamped their feet in excitement.  
  
Loki held his breath and the door burst open.  Overactive toddlers flooded the room, grabbing everything in sight and throwing it at table or licking it or shoving it up their noses.  Then a shadow covered him.  He found a chubby red-haired girl standing over him, her mouth spread in a hungry smile.  
  
His last coherent memory of that afternoon was a two rows of baby teeth scraping his back and torso while saliva washed over him and Aquaman's words rang in his ears.  
  
 _Good night, sweet prince._

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Welcome to Sunnyside [Podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3852820) by [blackglass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackglass/pseuds/blackglass)




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